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Nov 18 High-Frive Friday: Susans & Stuff

"I believe that inspiration is something we create, something we're responsible for. I don't believe in waiting for it to show up. I believe that being an artist means you live a life of imagination and inspiration instead of sitting down at your laptop expecting it to show up at just the moment you need it." — Savor, Shauna Niequist

Happy weekend, kids. Do something that inspires yourself.

What I'm working on:

The December missions publication is FINISHED and sent to printer. We got our first proofs this week. I learned a ton — the communications team at Kingsland did a lot of patient, upbeat teaching through the printing process — and holding something in my hands that I've been staring at on a computer screen for two months was a beautiful experience. (And the final product wasn't too shabby, either. Can't wait to show you guys.)

With that done, everything immediately switched to Christmas mode; helping the communications and media teams out as needed with projects, since December is also missions emphasis month at Kingsland.

The brainstorming process is always my favorite part, because recklessly throwing out ideas is my specialty; but now we have to make everything happen in a span of, oh, like a week. (It's fine. We're all fine.)

I put together some 4x4 photo/quote cards to give to church members as one of our takeaway pieces (which had to be done in Adobe Illustrator, which forced me to learn more stuff about Illustrator, which I always mean to do but then open and stare at for a long time and close again, so that's good!), but other than that my role so far is primarily curating, editing, and supplying everyone else with photos for their art displays and such.

So much of creative work is independent, but it's fun to be in on a big group effort every now and then — especially when that group is as talented and creative as this one.

Randoms for your weekend:

Longform recently interviewed Susan Casey, who I love very much and who could write a book about wallpaper and I would read it and who confirmed throughout this interview my suspicions that she is the coolest person...

...except possibly for Susan Orlean, who Longform not-recently interviewed but Susan Casey's episode for some reason made me think to listen to. Susan Orlean is a legend, anyway, but as a bonus, her entire podcast episode encouraged me so much. By the end I was like, oh my gosh, Susan Orlean totally believes that I could make a decent journalist one day. Thank you, Susan Orlean. Thank you, Susan Casey, for making me listen to Susan Orlean. Maybe I should change my name to Susan.